"Clan head?"
Gento frowned immediately upon hearing this.
"Since when did our Uchiha clan select a new clan head again?"
The clan member leading the way quickly explained:
"Before his death, the former clan head had already designated Fugaku-sama as the acting clan head."
Gento's gaze darkened slightly. He did not ask further and followed the other party toward Fugaku's residence.
Arriving at a Japanese-style courtyard, Gento was led into the reception room.
Inside, two people were already seated in seiza: Fugaku and Yashiro Uchiha.
The two seemed to be discussing something. Seeing Gento enter, Fugaku spoke first in a steady tone:
"Gento, you're here. Sit."
Gento nodded. Just as he was about to sit down, an indifferent voice came from the side:
"Do young people nowadays not even know to pay respects when they see the clan head?"
Yashiro glanced sideways at Gento, his tone laced with mockery:
"I really don't know why Hokage-sama would allow a junior who doesn't understand hierarchy to be promoted to Jonin, and even lead a ninja force."
Gento's figure paused, his motion of sitting down coming to a halt.
He slowly turned his gaze toward Yashiro, his voice calm:
"I am a junior, that's true. But I led three hundred clan members to defeat the Hidden Sand, forced them to compensate the Hidden Leaf, and ended the Third Great Shinobi War."
"The Uchiha clan has always become a renowned ninja clan in the shinobi world by relying on strength, not seniority."
He took half a step forward and stared at Yashiro:
"As for you, you keep calling yourself a senior. So tell me, what contributions have you made for the Uchiha?"
Yashiro's expression stiffened upon hearing this. He straightened his neck and said:
"You… you are not qualified to judge my achievements!"
"Achievements?"
Gento let out a scoff:
"You went to the battlefield together with the clan head. The clan head died in battle, yet you sit here unharmed."
"Where were you when the clan head was surrounded? If you can't explain it, I might suspect that the clan head's death was the result of someone deliberately allowing it to seize the position."
"What nonsense are you spouting!"
Yashiro suddenly stood up, his face red.
"How could I possibly—"
"Enough!"
Fugaku interrupted in a deep voice, his expression also turning somewhat unpleasant.
Gento's words were aimed at Yashiro, yet were they not also indirectly pointing at him?
The clan head had died in battle, and as his guards, they had failed to protect him… this was a dereliction of duty that could hardly be erased.
Fugaku took a deep breath and gestured to Yashiro:
"You may leave first. I will speak with Gento alone."
Yashiro glared fiercely at Gento before reluctantly standing up and leaving.
After the door closed, Fugaku turned to Gento, his tone easing slightly:
"Yashiro has a rigid personality, but his heart isn't bad. Don't take it to heart."
Gento did not respond to this and spoke directly:
"For what reason did you summon me? If it's nothing urgent, I still need to report to the Hokage."
Before his words even fell, the sliding door of the tatami room was gently opened.
A gentle and graceful figure walked in carrying a tea tray.
It was a woman dressed in a deep purple kimono. Her jet-black hair was tied into a low bun, with a few strands softly falling beside her fair neck.
Her figure was full yet well-proportioned. The obi of her kimono accentuated her slender waist, and a section of fair skin could be seen at the slightly open collar.
As she walked, her steps were light and slow, the curves of her waist and hips swaying naturally with her movements; possessing a mature charm rare among young girls, yet still maintaining elegance and dignity.
She was Fugaku's wife: Mikoto Uchiha.
At the moment Mikoto appeared, a system notification sounded in Gento's mind:
[Ding! Suitable Dual Cultivation Kunoichi detected.]
[Name: Mikoto Uchiha]
[Bloodline Limit: Three-Tomoe Sharingan]
[Strength: Jonin]
[Overall Evaluation: S-rank]
Seeing Mikoto's system prompt, Gento's back instantly straightened.
What?
Even Fugaku's wife, Mikoto, counted as a suitable Dual Cultivation target?
She was a married woman!
Her husband, Fugaku, was sitting right in front of him!
What did this system mean?
Was it telling him to actively steal Fugaku's wife?
Mikoto, however, did not notice anything unusual.
She knelt in seiza before the tea table, skillfully pouring tea for the two of them.
As her sleeve slipped slightly, it revealed a section of her fair wrist. Her fingers were slender, and her movements while pouring tea were gentle and composed.
"Please excuse the simplicity of the tea."
She spoke softly, giving Gento a slight nod, a gentle smile lingering at the corner of her lips, before rising and leaving with graceful steps.
Gento picked up the teacup and took a light sip, savoring the taste.
Fugaku spoke at this moment, bringing the topic back:
"In seven days, the clan will hold a clan meeting at the Naka Shrine to select the new clan head."
He looked at Gento, his tone sincere.
"Gento, your military achievements are now outstanding, and your reputation is at its peak. I hope you can support me in inheriting the position of clan head."
After a brief pause, Fugaku presented his condition.
"If I become clan head, the position of head of the Leaf Police Force will be yours."
After speaking, he looked at Gento, a trace of certainty in his gaze, as if he had already offered a sufficiently generous price.
Gento, however, still lowered his eyes and continued sipping tea, unmoved.
Fugaku's brows furrowed slightly, and he added:
"When I step down in the future, I will also fully support you in succeeding as clan head. What do you think?"
Gento finally raised his head.
Fugaku thought his conditions had moved Gento, yet when Gento spoke, he said:
"This time, I will also run for clan head."
The room instantly fell silent.
Fugaku was stunned, unable to respond for a moment.
Gento, however, seemed fully unaware of the stiff atmosphere. His gaze casually swept toward the doorway, as if trying to find Mikoto's figure again.
Unexpectedly, he saw a small face peeking through the gap of the paper door. About seven years old, with black hair and black eyes, his calm gaze carried an unusual maturity.
It was Itachi Uchiha.
A trace of meaning flashed through Gento's eyes, and he immediately stood up:
"If there is nothing else, I will take my leave."
He gave Fugaku a slight nod and turned to slide the door open before leaving.
As soon as Gento left, Yashiro flashed inside and said indignantly:
"Clan head! That brat is too ungrateful!
"When the time comes for you to secure the position of clan head, you must teach him a lesson."
Fugaku looked at the swaying door curtain and said softly:
"The confirmation of the clan head position requires the approval of three elders.
"We already know that the Great Elder, Soen, supports him in taking the position of clan head."
Fugaku fell silent for a moment, then said in a low voice:
"The hero who ended the war… heh."
…
On the other side, after leaving the Uchiha clan compound, Gento headed straight for the Hokage Tower.
Inside the Hokage's office, the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, was holding a pipe while discussing something with the two advisors, Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado.
Seeing Gento enter, the two advisors both fell silent, their gazes landing on him with complicated expressions.
The news of the Hidden Leaf's overwhelming victory over the Hidden Sand and forcing them to sign a peace agreement had already spread throughout the shinobi world.
Along with it came that astonishing amount of spoils and indemnities.
It could be said that many ninja clans of the Hidden Leaf had earned a fortune from this.
However, the only ones excluded were the clans behind them.
So, the way they looked at Gento was far from friendly.
Regardless, Hiruzen revealed a smile and gestured to him:
"Gento, you're back."
"Hokage-sama, I've come to report the results of this battle."
"No rush."
Hiruzen said kindly.
"You've just returned to the village; it wouldn't hurt to rest for a few days. Right now, everyone in the village is calling you the hero who ended the war."
Gento lowered his head modestly:
"It was the collective effort of everyone. I was merely fortunate."
As he spoke, Gento took out three scrolls from his robe and placed them before Hiruzen.
The moment the three scrolls appeared, they immediately attracted the attention of everyone present.
They all knew… this was about the distribution of the spoils!
Gento continued reporting:
"The total wealth obtained within the Land of Wind amounts to 5.6 billion Ryo. Half was distributed to the participating ninja clans, leaving 2.8 billion Ryo remaining."
Koharu's eyelid twitched, filled with jealousy toward the various ninja clans.
That was 2.8 billion Ryo!
Even receiving a small portion would be enough to greatly boost a clan's strength and cultivate a large number of new shinobi.
Yet now, all that money had gone into the pockets of other clans!
She could not help but feel regret for not sending her clan's shinobi to participate in the war.
On the other side, Homura was equally envious.
He put on a stern expression and criticized Gento:
"Commander Gento, this money should have been handed over to the village for unified distribution. Allocating it privately to the clans… I'm afraid that doesn't comply with the rules."
...
If you want to support, please consider Patreon, and read advanced chapters! Your support keeps this series going! [Patreon.com/RedZTL]